U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message
From: senator@feinstein.senate.gov
Sent: Mon 4/28/08 2:18 PM
To: f_frank_austin@hotmail.com
Dear Mr. Austin:
Thank you for contacting me regarding multiple sclerosis. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.
Since coming to the Senate, I have strongly supported funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and through the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. I believe these efforts hold tremendous promise to produce new treatments and possible cures for a myriad of conditions and diseases, including multiple sclerosis. I am pleased to inform you that I am a member of the Senate Multiple Sclerosis Caucus. Please be assured that I will continue to work to raise awareness and hope that a cure will soon be found for this disease.
Again, thank you for contacting me. If you should have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
In an Email to OCTA Customer Relations, a Fellow MS Traveller wrote:
04/23/2208
Customer Relations,
I am writing this letter to make you aware of a problem that I had. I experienced the problem this morning on Route 37, south bound leaving 1st and Euclid, at 10:24am, the bus number was 5520.
After I boarded the bus on my scooter, the coach operator put a restrain belt across the back of my scooter only. Not straps securing the armrests, which is normal. No front strap was attached to the tiller, or front control mast, which is also normal.
At about 10:35am the bus came to a very sudden stop. My scooter, with me in it, rolled forward, and tipped. My scooter is a 3 wheeler and the one restraint belt, which the driver had put across the back, did not restrain the scooter. The scooter and I were partially tipped over sideways.
I had to wait until the driver stopped to be righted back into a correct, safe position. Another passenger had to come over to help put me back into an “all wheels on the floor” position. Then, after the coach stopped at the next stop, the driver came back and finally secured my scooter properly.
Being thrown forward and hanging in midair, was not the type of ride I expected on this day.
Coach operators need to secure scooters and or wheelchairs properly with a 3-point method that will ensure their user’s safety.
Please help us with this, we can not do this for ourselves.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter,
Customer Relations,
I am writing this letter to make you aware of a problem that I had. I experienced the problem this morning on Route 37, south bound leaving 1st and Euclid, at 10:24am, the bus number was 5520.
After I boarded the bus on my scooter, the coach operator put a restrain belt across the back of my scooter only. Not straps securing the armrests, which is normal. No front strap was attached to the tiller, or front control mast, which is also normal.
At about 10:35am the bus came to a very sudden stop. My scooter, with me in it, rolled forward, and tipped. My scooter is a 3 wheeler and the one restraint belt, which the driver had put across the back, did not restrain the scooter. The scooter and I were partially tipped over sideways.
I had to wait until the driver stopped to be righted back into a correct, safe position. Another passenger had to come over to help put me back into an “all wheels on the floor” position. Then, after the coach stopped at the next stop, the driver came back and finally secured my scooter properly.
Being thrown forward and hanging in midair, was not the type of ride I expected on this day.
Coach operators need to secure scooters and or wheelchairs properly with a 3-point method that will ensure their user’s safety.
Please help us with this, we can not do this for ourselves.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter,
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Remember to...
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour
Monday, April 14, 2008
2008 Walk MS; Irvine, CA April 12, 2008
As of 2:00pm April 14 team, "Frank" had generated $2559.00 in donations. Considering that my initial goals were $500 for myself and $1000 for the team, that ain't half bad! And we've got more to be registered!
Everyone out there in traffic should be aware that the, "Three Amigos" are on the prowl! One of them is a particular menace to society when he wheels around on a personal mobility device most commonly referred to to as a scooter. DMV can pull a person's drivers license but I've yet to hear of a comparable agency intent on protecting the general public from out-of-control disabled scooter operators!
I hesitate to raise that issue to either the California State Assembly or Senate. Imagine the bureaucratic nightmare that might produce.
Everyone out there in traffic should be aware that the, "Three Amigos" are on the prowl! One of them is a particular menace to society when he wheels around on a personal mobility device most commonly referred to to as a scooter. DMV can pull a person's drivers license but I've yet to hear of a comparable agency intent on protecting the general public from out-of-control disabled scooter operators!
I hesitate to raise that issue to either the California State Assembly or Senate. Imagine the bureaucratic nightmare that might produce.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Walk MS Bears available now!
Walk MS Bears available now!
1 ea. $10 or 1 of ea. for $18
Email your order to:
f_frank_Austin@hotmail.com
Indicate the Quantity and Color (Green or Purple)
An invoice will then be emailed to you with payment instructions, both online or personal check.
Include your mailing address for shipment!
All proceeds to my Walk MS fundraising effort!
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